BLACKLISTED HQ

By: Kyle Spears Over the past couple of months, I have been having a lot of conversations about what could be called the second generation of CrossFit competitors and competing in that era. This would be the 2011–2018 time frame, starting with the introduction of the Open to the death of Regionals (RIP). This was really a special era of competitive fitness, and we saw a lot of athletes make a living for themselves and really set an amazing foundation for the sport. With the s

It’s hard to know exactly what to expect in the CrossFit Open and every year (almost) we get a new implement thrown at us. The bones of CrossFit is preparing for the unknown so you have to go into it with a childlike wonder and excitement for something new. There are definitely movements we see each year, some we see most years, and some we expect to see and then don’t. Now that the Open is 3-weeks long, we don’t see as much variety in movement. I like to think of Quarterfina

One of the most common questions athletes ask when they first look at a HYROX race is: “How long do I need to train for this?” The honest answer is that it depends on what you already bring to the table. HYROX isn’t just a long run with some weights, and it isn’t a strength event with a bit of cardio sprinkled in. It demands repeated high-force pushing and pulling, muscular endurance under fatigue, a strong aerobic base that can recover between stations, and the ability to ha

A recent video surfaced discussing machines in the sport of fitness, noting that they are becoming over-programmed and that this is diluting the nature of CrossFit. In this post, we will examine this statement purely from a sport perspective, leaving the discussion of group workouts aside. We will explore why machines have become a staple in most competitive CrossFit programs and touch on why there was a heavy reliance on machines at the Games this year. However, one year of

By Bri Siegert What is it? There’s a very specific feeling athletes get right after a competition. It’s like being exhausted, but also wired. You start replaying every event and dissect where you could have pushed harder, what you need to work on and hammer before the next comp, and suddenly you’re more motivated than you were before the comp. You want to train. You want to fix things. You want to ride that competitive high right back into the gym and get to work. And honestl

Why your background shapes how you race and how you should train. Hybrid racing looks like it should favor one specific athlete type, until you realize every athlete shows up with a completely different engine, strength profile, and movement background. A CrossFitter doesn’t move like a runner. A runner doesn’t move like a powerlifter. And a true hybrid athlete has learned how to pull pieces from every direction. Understanding your athlete type is the first step to performing

Wanted to start this series off with exploring why the shape of handstands matter and a couple of fast ways to identify if you have room to grow on yours.   Handstand skills can be a pain in the ass quite literally, but after exploring some of these ideas laid out in this blog series.  “Let's get inverted exploring the intricacies of the handstand” I’'m hoping that pain shows up less frequently for you all.  Here's the truth, the shape of your handstand is super important whi

Intervals have been used in sport since its inception to improve multiple different attributes to athletes' profiles. While there are many different ways to write intervals, today we are going to be breaking down the essence of the most common, a split work and then rest ratio, specifically for the sport of Fitness. But how does one know the best way to attack an interval? Should we be consistent across all sets, should we come out hot and hold on or should we try to negative

By Michelle Pohle The CrossFit Open, or any major qualifier season, is one of the most exciting times of the year. Energy is high, PRs are flying, and adrenaline is through the roof. Unfortunately, with the increase in intensity and volume, pain and flare-ups can quickly derail weeks of training. The goal isn’t just to survive qualifiers, it’s to thrive through them pain-free. Manage Pain Early Pain during qualifiers doesn’t immediately mean you are weak or broken. It means y

By: Bri Seigert ” Thankful for all those rest days! I’m still pretty tired so far this week. My sleep hasn’t been great since before the wedding  for obvious reasons. And even after, my sleep was still not great. It wasn’t until  yesterday that I finally stopped feeling anxious and worked up. I’m still emotionally      recovering… That being said, today’s workout felt great! I’m feeling less distracted and more focused than I have been these last few weeks” -Kay. R., Blacklis

Online Qualifiers are the bed rock of the sport of fitness. As soon as the open was completed in 2011, people knew that this was a sustainable, and future business model that was here to stay for the sport. Far from their heyday now, there are still foundational truths that are held up to perform your best during this time frame. Today we will be focusing on Three mistakes athletes make in online qualifiers and how to correct or fix the issue. From competing too much, to not

Tough Conversations  “Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind.”   –Brenee Brown By Briana Siegert Why Tough Conversations Matter As coaches, it’s tempting to always play the motivator, the cheerleader, the hype man/woman, the one who’s always telling athletes they’re doing great. And while encouragement is vital, coaching also means helping people see blind spots, patterns, and truths they may not want to face. Growth doesn’t come from empty praise; it comes from honest coaching and

The last four years have been filled with a lot of turmoil around the world. Covid, Vaccine injuries and death, the war in Ukraine, now the cusp of war in the middle east, and for the CrossFit community the death of a beloved competitor. As with most things in life, you don’t really know what you have until it’s gone. As many of us, who didn’t know Lazar personally, began to understand what an amazing human being he was as our social media feeds were filled in remembrance of